Paris Saint-Germain’s key Ligue 1 meeting with Lens, originally set for April 11, has been delayed until mid-May to provide the team with more recovery time between the two legs of their Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool, the French league (LFP) confirmed on Thursday.
PSG are due to welcome Liverpool on April 8 for the opening leg before heading to England for the second match at Anfield on April 14.
Their away fixture against Lens has therefore been rescheduled for May 13, falling between the final two weekends of the French campaign.
The league’s move has sparked controversy, as Lens had voiced objections to the postponement.
Lens currently sit second in Ligue 1, just one point behind PSG with seven matches remaining, although PSG—described as “the reigning European champions”—still have a game in hand.
The LFP also moved Strasbourg’s game that weekend against Brest to May 13, giving them added recovery time between both legs of their UEFA Conference League quarter-final against Mainz in Germany.
According to the league, the postponements are intended to maximize the chances of French teams succeeding in European competitions and to help Ligue 1 retain four spots in the Champions League.
